Samantha killer fights prison term

A KILLER known as Papa Smurf who hid a naked, mutilated woman in a wheelie bin for months after murdering her is continuing his fight to get out of jail before he dies.

Robert Chalmers, 60, was ordered to serve at least 23 years of a life sentence before he can ask for parole. The father-of-eleven who suffers from heart problems will have to survive into his mid-80s before he has a chance of release.

A trial last year heard how Chalmers lured Samantha Wright to his home in the Duddingston area of Edinburgh hoping to have sex with her before things turned nasty.

Hours of police work and a chance find of CCTV footage from a security camera in Edinburgh city centre revealed images of Chalmers and Samantha talking together.

Solicitor advocate Ann Ogg, defending, persuaded Lord Menzies sitting with Lord Wheatley to allow additional arguments against the 23-year minimum sentence to go to a full hearing of the appeal court.